Fire-extinguisher



R. PFEIL, JR. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2|Y 1 939.

Patented May, 10,1921.

ing medium and its discharge within an oil-11 iestorjage tank,freight-car or other structure, fl

and. said, invention more particularly; per tains to anautomatic releaseof said me-l v dium, as aresult of a change'in the-pressure v of airorother gaseous-fluidin the structure.

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Toalluzkom itvnzagy cohcem I Be iteknown: that LRUDOLPH the. followingis a full", scription thereof,

' Myl invention relates toautomatic j-libera tion of a normallyconfinedfire-extinguish- My invention is herein shown. applied in connectionwith an oil-storage'tank and a chemical fireextinguisher that dischargesin said tank. In such a tank the space between the oil level andthe'tank-roof isfrequently a flar1n IlOtOh'lIl a.plston like seal-stop'17 supporting a seal 18 ofa chemical conveyer filled by a gaseousmixture of a'highly explosive character, and fire in the tank isgenerally caused by lightning, but no matter from what cause'iignitionoccurs, it willre sult in an explosion, if thegaseous contents of saidtank are of an explosive mixture, and it is itpUI'POSG of my inventionto utilize the explosive force to release the fire-extinguishing mediumaforesaid. Obviously it is of the greatest importance that there be aprac ticallyinstantaneous release of the fire-ex tinguishing -medium theinstant ignition occurs in the tank, to thus preventthe fire Ifromgaining headway sufficient to heatthe uppermost portion of the oiland cause its rapid volatllization.

i Figure 1 of the-accompanying drawings V guisher. My invention isadapted for asso-' represents a sectional view of a fragment of anoil-storage tank, a chemical fire-extinguisher therewith partly insection, and means in accordance with my invention for an automaticoperation of a control mecha nism ofthe extinguisher, in the event ofignition in the tank, the sectionalparts of the view being on the planeindicated by line 1---1 in the next described illustration, and f Fig.2, an elevation partly in section as indicated by line.2 2 in Fig. 1.

' Referring by numeralsto the drawings, 3

indicates the body and 4 the roof of an I" spjec'i'fiwtidn f Letterssemi mounting said roof.

atented May 10,

Appliea tionjfiled March 21, 1919. seen No. 284,118.-

ciation with a control mechanism of theex- I A tinguisher shown, or with.the mechanism controlling thedischarge ofanyxother'such extinguisherapplied to oil-storage tank:

orother structure, butnoclaim is made to the'con'struction of saidextinguisher specifi-y The control mechanism of the extin guisher isshowrr-as embodying 52L. plug 6 having a shouldered stem" 7 extendingthrough a chambered fitting'8 incasing said plug-outside ofthe' tank andra lift-rod 9 is fastened to a collar 10 fast on the, exposed portionofthe plug-stem; The plugis .astraddleof a rod 11 in a pipe-12 extendingthrough the forward end of the chemical d stributing no zl zle 13 ofitheextinguisher, th1s nozzle being partly within the oil tanln A, ferrule14 on the pipe12 abutsthe plug.

6 within the chamber-fitting 8, and said rod is coupled to a shackle 15having abevelpoint of a bolt element 16 thereof engaging pipe 19 in thecylinder 20 of the extin} guisher, said cylinder being charged withfluid under pressure. Within the oil-tank another ferrule 21 on the pipe12'abuts a 7 it tube 22 sweatedon a fusiblesleever23 ens gaged by therod"11, and a nut 24 run on the screw-threaded inner end of said rod,

ible -device,vthat.extends through'the flange a 27 and roof lofithe'tank. The cable is run on asheave 28 and through guides 29surmount ng'the tank-roof, and an end of said: u

cable is fastened toa bracl'ret 30also sur-' A, sectlon of the tank-roofmay be a hinged door 31 or other closure for an opening therein, and onevof theguide brack-' sets 29; for the cable 26 is shownon said" closure.

Therod 9 may be actuated "by hand ton ably secured against unauthorizeduse, Hpwever my invention is not,spec1fic to any peculiar manual controlofa fire-extinguishliftthe stem and the plug 6 therewith, theresultbeing'a release of the fire-extinguishing medium, and in practicesaid rod is suit-- grate the members22and23 of the fireextinguisherapparatus herein shown and thus T the extinguishing medium wvill become"ef' fectiyeg but the fusible controlof a-fire-ex tor-an opening thereinwith such control; of

- such an apparatus-regardless-of thespecifiq detail ofsaid control 7sion mayieither liftthe closure 31; thereby? causing a; pulling actionon the cable 26 and If an explosion 'd'eto' ignition" olf jgases ggaseous fluld in the structure due to varlous causes, said meanebemgassociated with in the tank occurs, the force of such ,explothestem7 toprovidefor a discharge of the ifire extinguishing medium into said tank,

or if the explosion is of such aviolen't character-as to: displacethee'ntire tank-roof,-

'fthe'same result will be attained. The-roofs. of =oil-storage tanks arepurposely" ilig'htly attached to the lls of said tanks to permit oftheir blowing 01f; whereby rupture of s'aid walls is prevented and aleaking away of the burning oila'voided If the mixture. or

gases above the o l is of a nO XP Q *tingui'sher a charater'and theliquid contents ofthe tank are ignited, the resultant heat willdisinteenti'c m.

pparatu's is no .part ofmyli'n-f v I g Wisconsin; 7 l i Inaccordancelwith my invention in its 'RUDOLPHPFE IL',

broadest Various 7 means may; be em ,ployed to effect the liberation of'afire-extinguishing medium into a'structure as the resultofan'appreciable expansion of air or some .displaceable portion of saidstructure.

I claim: Y

The combinationwith aj'storage compartment for combustible materialincluding side walls and aroof, of a-fire extinguisher, said roof hav ngan opening the'rem, a cover hingedjto said roof and normally coyeringsaid opening, means for controlling the discharge ofexti'nguis'hingfluid from said fire extinguisher, an actuating cable having one endsecured to said controlling meansand the other end secured tothe roof,the intermediateportion of said cablepassing over said cover member,whereby the" raising of said cover-member will actuate said control 7ling means. t.- In testimonygthat l'clairn the-foregoing I have hereuntoset myhand atfMilwaukee';

in the county of Milwaukee and State of

